There is no doubt that the Covid pandemic changed a lot of things, one of them was the way we work and the way we use our gardens. Here in Kent and Sussex we saw an influx of enquiries in areas like Sevenoaks, Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge, Bromley, Maidstone and Crowborough.
Garden studios and garden offices became a boom industry. It’s estimated that the market went up by nearly 300% in some areas. With this brought a natural gold rush of suppliers all new to the industry. Some had general building experience and some just saw the chance to capitalise while the going was good.
Here we are now in the second half of 2023 and while the industry still thrives, it’s clear that an influx of studio suppliers have flooded a market that is slowly shrinking back down.
The cost of living crisis along with higher mortgage rates has affected consumer confidence and therefore our spend has dropped for the short term at least.
So if you are in the market for a garden studio or garden office, what should you be looking for?
When there is so much on offer you will want to make a sound decision and recoup a real return of investment on your purchase.
The only way to make money on a garden office, garden gym or any garden building is to aim for a top quality fabrication. It’s a simple as that. There are many high quality fabricators both nationally and in the Kent area but equally there is a lot of lower quality sub standard products available. They may have their place and price bracket but they sometimes appear to be more than they are when compared to a more expensive and more high end studio.
If you are keen to make a good investment with your garden studio then ask questions like:
How many genuine garden studio reviews do they have?
Are they a local company and can they tell you or introduce you to the team making the studio?
How long have they been in the industry?
How do they actually construct their buildings?
Are the images they are showing you real studios or computer generated images of what they are going to create for you?
Computer generated garden studio designs
3D visuals are a great way for garden studio fabricators to show you what you could install but are they also showing you real work? As for similar builds and case studies.
We would always think twice if all of their visuals are computer generated. Especially on their main website images or adverts. As the best quality work will always reflect in the real final product and if a supplier would rather only show you computer visuals, it might be that they are better than the real thing.
The same is true of what is being offered within their price structure. Things like foundations, electrical connections and internal decoration are all expensive additions if your supplier is not including them as standard.
The type of cladding used should also be a factor. As well as the type of insulation on offer. Certain cheaper wool insulation can make the space extremely hot in summer months. Aim for PIR (Celotex or layered foil insulation like Hybris Actis. This will keep you warm in the winter but also help reflect some solar gains in the warmer months.
Why to choose a local garden office supplier?
We are firm believers in the benefits of working with local providers when possible. Finding a garden studio provider with a good reputation in your area means they are there to help with any issues or snags that may arise. It also means they should have a decent supply of reviews from clients in your area and a reputation they want to uphold.
If you are keen to add value to your property with a functional and well designed garden office, garden studio or garden gym, then aim for quality. Choose local, choose a compete turn key all inclusive fabricator and ensure they have a strong reputation in the industry. Ensure they are using the best materials available and that they have a strong body of work to show you, not just some drawings or visuals that may not truly represent the final product.
contact@arkdesignbuild.co.uk and talk to them on 07896 196718 about how they can build your dream garden studio.
